SELF-MANAGEMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP & INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY (SMART VET)
Responding to the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, SMART VET brings together a Strategic cross-sectorial Partnership of VET organizations, SMEs and youth organizations aiming at preparing a high quality improvement program specifically designed to increase the ability of VET teachers, trainers and mentors to foster VET students’ transition to the labour market.
Despite being the most academically qualified generation ever and facing all this pressure to succeed professionally, employers consistently report that young people are unprepared and unequipped to enter the workplace when they leave full-time education – lacking a broad range of soft skills. The project contributes to the VET students’ employability skills increase, especially during suspension periods as the lockdown due to the COVID-19 crisis. This will directly support “apprentices who are forced to take breaks in training within the workplace or are unable to work due to COVID-19 related prevention measures or illness” as allowed by the UK Department for Education, 2020.
IO1 SMART VET Challanges
O1 takes the form of interactive materials (exercises, quizzes, games) presenting challenges based on work-related situations. The games are associated with an OER LIBRARY to offer (ex) VET students that have never worked before a solid understanding of workplace etiquette, what are the functions of the different departments in a company and what are the associated tasks and typical transversal skills needed, providing a better perspective of their roles and work position when they will be hired, as well.
IO2 (e-TC) SMART VET Support
This training course (formalized in a syllabus, skills framework, interactive materials) will be useful to a variety of VET educators in charge of preparing (ex) VET students for their labor market entry. Following the training, VET educators such as VET teachers, mentors, trainers, HR managers and (private and public) employment centre operators will develop knowledge and skills needed to foster and facilitate the integration of (ex) VET students into the labor market with a specific section on how to foster skills development of students with disabilities.
